A Library WWW Browser

[sutherlandp at ccc.govt.nz]

There has been a lot of on again, off again discussion,on various lists, of
requests for a Web Browser that could be configured/disabled/kiosked to
meet the (various) differing needs of the library community.

What I always wonder is has anyone done a serious needs analysis & data
gathering exercise, applied for funding and/or approached a Browser
developer about producing such a client. (and I don't mean asking net$cape
if you can mess with their code)

I think LYNX is a good start in the non Graphical environment, moderately
configurable, seemingly secure for the UNIX/VMS environment and a good
investment - its free - for anyone with lots of VT's {and I'm sure there
still lots of us;-}.

Of course everyone wants a Graphical Browser (and lots of people seem to
think that Net$cape is it). To me it seems that NCSA Mosaic is a good
target for getting funding for them to develop an application (which I feel
could be the "Killer App" for Libraries;-). I understand they have done
great work in enabling Mosaic for Vision Impaired, its available on the
major platforms, and its free.

Sure it may not do HTTPS or JAVA, or let server Push occur but how long do
Pop Up Books last in a childrens Library, and are they are core business?

And what about Library Automation Vendors, is your vendor developing a
WWW/Z39.50/PAC intergrated product, or have they already got one, and how
secure/suitable is that.

my tuppence.

(an afterthought I just read in an old (paper) BYTE 20(11) p64 about Hyper-G.
 My reading of the article struck me that it has much more potential for us
 Libraries than $UNs JAVA , especially in its indexing/managing of data - but
 then I don't really know what Java could do in a library, but I also think
 Libraries should collect/mirror resources as well as use remote resources. )

Cross posted to Pacs-L & Web4Lib

........................................................................
     Paul Sutherland                   sutherlandp at ccc.govt.nz
     Canterbury Public Library
     Aotearoa/New Zealand              http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Library/

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My opinion only...